Reactive and undifferentiated arthritis in North Africa: use of PCR for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis.

Little is known about the possible role of Chlamydia in patients with reactive or unclassified arthritis in North Africa. This study used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to survey this population. In addition, we compared the results in three different laboratories for PCR analyses for Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) in synovial fluid (SF) and tissue (ST) from these North African patients with reactive arthritis (ReA), undifferentiated arthritis (UA), and in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA).

Three month treatment of reactive arthritis with azithromycin: a EULAR double blind, placebo controlled study.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of weekly treatment with oral azithromycin for 13 weeks on the severity and resolution of reactive arthritis (ReA).

Methods: 186 patients from 12 countries were enrolled in a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial. Inclusion criteria were inflammatory arthritis of < or =6 swollen joints, and disease duration of < or =2 months.

Fibromyalgia: a randomised, controlled trial of a treatment programme based on self management.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a treatment programme for patients with fibromyalgia (FM) based on self management, using pool exercises and education.

Methods: Randomised controlled trial with a 6 month follow up to evaluate an outpatient multidisciplinary programme; 164 patients with FM were allocated to an immediate 6 week programme (n = 84) or to a waiting list control group (n = 80). The main outcomes were changes in quality of life, functional consequences, patient satisfaction and pain, using a combination of patient questionnaires and clinical examinations.

Neurophysiologic evidence for a central sensitization in patients with fibromyalgia.

Objective: To determine whether abnormalities of peripheral and central nociceptive sensory input processing exist outside areas of spontaneous pain in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) as compared with controls, by using quantitative sensory testing (QST) and a neurophysiologic paradigm independent from subjective reports.

Methods: A total of 164 outpatients with FM who were attending a self-management program were invited to participate in the study. Data for 85 patients were available and were compared with those for 40 non-FM controls matched for age and sex.

Importance of species-specific antigens in the serodiagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis reactive arthritis.

Objectives: To determine the most sensitive and specific method of anti-Chlamydia antibody measurement for the serodiagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis reactive arthritis.

Methods: Immunoblotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays using six synthetic peptides or recombinant antigens and a microimmunofluorescence test were used to determine the presence of IgG, IgM and IgA in serum samples from 17 patients with C. trachomatis reactive arthritis.